Earring



July 15, 19 17 sc u E JR 1 2,423,905

I EARRING Filed NOV. 24, 1943 INVENTOR ,Je/ium, yz,

Patented July 15, 1947 EARRING.

George Schuler, Jr., Crestwood, N. Y., assignor to Preformed Parts, Inc., Pleasantville, N. Y., a corporation of New York Application November 24, 1943, Serial No. 511,535

6 Claims.

This invention relates to earrings.

One type of earring consists of a plate or the like to which is pivoted a strip which co-operates with the plate to grip the ear and means are provided for urging the free end of the strip toward the plate. The plate constitutes the ornamental part of the earring while the purpose of the strip is to provide attaching means. Heretofore, the adjustment of the ear-gripping means for different thickness ears has required the services of a skilled workman.

An object of this invention is to provide an earring of the type above disclosed with means [for easily and quickly adjusting the ear-gripping means, of such arrangement that the services of a skilled Workman'are not required.

An earring embodying the invention includes a plate to which is fastened a post. A metal strip has one end pivoted to the post and is slit to form a tongue having its free end abutting said post. On the strip is provided a slidable member in overlying relation to the tongue and being movable along said strip to vary the effective length of the tongue. The tongue, by reason of the arrangement of its free end with the post, exerts pressure on the strip tending to swing the free end thereof toward the plate and the effective length of the tongue determines the pressure developed in the strip. By shortening the efiective length of the tongue, the pressure is increased.

Other objects, novel features and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following specification and accompanying drawings, wherein:

Fig. l is a side elevation of an earring showing it attached to an ear;

Fig. 2 is an end view of Fi 1;

Fig. 3 is a front view of the strip disconnected from the post;

Fig. 4 is a rear View;

Fig. 5 is an enlarged section on the line 5-5 of Fig. 4;

Fig. 6 is a side view illustrating an attachment to convert the earring into a clasp, and

Fig. '7 is a face view thereof.

A plate I0 of suitable ornamental appearance has soldered or otherwise connected thereto a post II having a square end. A metal strip I2 has ears I3 which straddle the square head of the post I I and which have apertures receiving a pivot pin I4 extending through said head. The strip 12 is slit longitudinally to provide a tongue I 5, the end of which engages the face of the post head and is displaced slightly relative to the remainder of the strip. The strip I2 is curved adjacent its pivoted end so that there is substanthe position shown in full lines in Fig. 5 andexe erts pressure tending to force the pressure pad I6 toward the plate I0. In order to remove the earring, the strip I2 is swung into the dotted line position of Fig. 5, such action being opposed by the tension in the tongue I5.

A loop I8 is slidably mounted on the strip I2 in overlying relation to the tongue I5. As the loop is moved along the strip I2 toward its pivoted end, it progressively shortens the effective length of the tongue 15 thereby progressively increasing the tension exerted by the tongue. The tongue I5 is equipped with notches I9 to retain the loop I8 in different positions of adjustment. The ear-gripping pressure may be varied by suitable adjustment of the loop ID.

The pressure pad I6 distributes the gripping pressure over a comparatively large area so that discomfort from the pressure is reduced to a minimum. Also, by reason of the pressure pad being pivoted, it accommodates itself to the contour of the ear.

As shown in Figs. 6 and '7, an attachment is provided for converting the earring into a clasp. For this purpose there is provided a member 20 formed of wire in the general shape of an isosceles triangle with a cross bar 22 and an offset loop 2I. This member is attached to the tongue I2 by 10- cating the base 20a beneath the strip I2 and the pressure pad I6 on the side of the pivot pin I'I away from the strip end and bringing the cross bar 22 against the outer end of the pressure pad.

and the loop 2I over the end of the strip I2. The member 20 then forms a continuation of the strip I2. Prongs 23 are provided on the member 20 to project into dress goods or the like as shown in Fig. 6 to hold the clasp in position.

It is of course understood that various modifications may be made in the earring structure above described, without in any way departing from the spirit of the invention as defined in the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In an earring, a post, a strip, means pivotally attachin one end of said strip to said post, said strip being slit to form a tongue havmountedon said strip-Pin overlying relation to said tongue, said member being movable along said strip to vary the effective length of said tongue.

3. In an earring, a post, a strip having projecting ears straddling said post, a pivot pin pass- 7 ing through said ears and post, said strip, being slit to form a tongue havingitsfreeend.abutting said post, and a member slidably mounted on said;

strip in overlying relation to said tongue, said member being movable alongjsaidv strip to- Vary the effective length of said tongue.

4. In an earring according to claim 1, a pad pivotally mounted at the end of said strip and facing; said plate;

5". An articleof jewelry comprising a plate, a strip-pivoted thereto, means yieldably retaining the free end of said strip in predetermined relation to said plate, a pad pivotally mounted at the end of said strip and facing said plate, and a member carriedby said strip, said memberhaving a portioninterposed between said strip and pad on the sideof" the pad pivotpin away from the strip fi'eeen'd and a second portion of said memben engagingsaid pad on the" end thereof adjacent the strip free end, and a third portion of said member passing around the free end of said strip, and prongs projecting from said member toward said plate.

6. An article of jewelry comprisin a plate, a supporting post for said plate, a strip, means pivotally attaching one end of said strip to said post, said strip being slit to form a tongue having its free end abutting said post, a pad pivotally mounted at the end of said strip and facing said plate, a member carried by said strip, said member having a portion interposed between said strip and pad on the side of the pivot pin away'from' the strip end, a second portion of said member engaging said pad on the end thereof adjacent the strip end, a third portion of said member passing; around the end of said strip,

andprongs projecting from said member toward said plate.

GEORGE SCHULER, JR.

REFERENCES: CITED The following references are of record in the file of" this patent: 

